Reckitt, maker of Dettol, appointed as the official hygiene partner of the Platinum Jubilee Pageant last month, has lifted the lid on the scale of its hygiene programme at the event as the celebrations come to a close.
The strategic partnership saw Dettol Pro Solutions, Dettol’s business-to-business offering, distribute more than 10,000 bottles of hand sanitiser, install over 100 hand sanitiser dispensers, plus the distribution of hygiene kits for all volunteers, staff and attendees across the celebration weekend.
An estimated 150,000 people attended the Pageant during the once-in-a-lifetime event.
Rosanna Machado, CEO of the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, reflects on what other event organisers can learn from the historic event and how similar celebrations can keep hygiene front of mind when bringing millions of people together.
“It’s fantastic to see people come together; friends, family and neighbours reunited, to witness this historic royal moment. After two years of the pandemic, many people are still hesitant about large gatherings and we wanted to bring attendees and visitors peace of mind – enabling them to focus on having fun and enjoying the weekend.
“We believe that the partnership with Dettol Pro Solutions has been key to that. We knew that consumers would recognise and be reassured by the presence of the Dettol brand. The support from the Dettol Pro Solutions team – from thought-through hand sanitiser for public spaces and food and beverage locations, staff masks and hygiene kits to staff cleaning and training – has been tremendous.”
According to the CDC in the US, 80% of all infectious diseases are transmitted via contaminated hand-to-hand or surface-to-hand contact2. Meanwhile in the UK, after two years of the pandemic, handwashing is still seen as one of the most important hygiene measures by the public, with 38% of people agreeing, following getting vaccinated and mask-wearing with 74.5% and 43% respectively3.
Research from Dettol Pro Solutions also reveals that more than three quarters (78%) of consumers are still concerned about germs4 but 72% of people indicate that they feel more confident to engage with a brand if a Dettol partnership is in place5. Over four days of celebrations welcoming hundreds of thousands of people, Dettol’s trusted products’ presence has helped to bring everyone together in harmony and happiness.
Jonathan Weiss, commercial director at Reckitt’s Pro Solutions said:
“We’re delighted to have been the Official Hygiene Partner for the Platinum Jubilee Pageant and provide our expertise at this historic event. Active communication is key to building confidence and reassuring thousands of attendees, so we’ve aimed to create an experience that maximises the perception of care, in an effort to inspire behaviour change when it comes to practising good hygiene.
“Overall heightened awareness of hand hygiene among staff and customers is something businesses should look to not just sustain, but actively encourage. We believe that simplicity is key when it comes to following good hygiene practices. Making antibacterial products easily available to visitors or providing training for staff and volunteers has proven to be simple and effective to help us achieve that.”
Dettol’s strategic partnership with the Platinum Jubilee Pageant follows the successful appointment of Dettol Pro Solutions as the official hygiene partner of COP26, the UN’s global climate change conference that played host to more than 25,000 delegates, and Expo 2020 Dubai. Dettol Pro Solutions is also set to provide hygiene protocol guidance to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games for athletes, spectators, and officialsover the 12-day event across 15 competition venues.